Oil-testing device



A. D. EBERLY.

OIL TESTING DEVICE.

APPLlCAHON FILED FEB. 14. 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Aushn D. Eberh {Rummy Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

A. D. EBERLY.

OIL TESTING DEVICE.-

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 14, 1920.

1,437,730, Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

[I w W Aushn D. Eberlg Gamma,

Fatented Dec. 5, 1922.

Ora-er.

'AU'STINXD. .E nn Y, or sro renn. wnsrrrneron.

OIL-TESTING nnvrcn.

Application filedFebruary 14, 1920. Serial N0. $58,794:.

Toall whomit may concern. I

Be it known that 'LIAUSTINUD. Ennnny, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gil-Testing Devices, of which. the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in oil testing devices andhas for one of its obects to provide a device of the character described which shall accurately determine the lubricating qualities of oils when subjected to heat.

Another object is to provide a device of the character described which shall show the rel ative adhesive qualities of oilswith respect to given surfaces when subjected to heat.

A further object is to provide adevice ot the character described whereby the conditions actually met with inthe use of lubricating oil between heated surfaces will be reproduced in my oil testing device and so enable the operatorto observe the performance of oil under a reproduction of working conditions.

A :furtherobjectis to provide a device of the character described which is so constructed that. while comparatively delicate tests may be made, it does, not require expert knowledge of oil nor an expert workman to iertorni the tests.

A. vturther object is to provide a device of the character described which shall be sturdy and cheap of construction.

A still further object is to provide a de vice 01"" the character described which may be made portable in form. and maintained in adjustment so that it Inf lyjDIGV'lClP n operator with an ever present and immediately accessible means for testing oils. In this direction, the testing device especially adapt able for motorists, enabling); them to determine the quality of. oil before purchasing same.

Still further objects and features of the invention will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and will be more particularly pointed out in and by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is atop plan view of the testing device with the cap member. removed.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cap member. i W i Figure 3 is a side elevation of the testing device showing the cap. member in initial position. i I .Figure 4- is .view' similar to Figure sho'wingthe cap meniberin changed posi tions.

Figurefi is an enlargedsection on line 5.-5 of Figure 1.

"Figuret is an enlarged section on line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an enlarged section on line 7-7 of Figure 1. i I Figure 8 is a plan view of a heating unit preferably used'in connection with my device.

Figure 9 is a view in heating unit. v

Figure .10 is a top plan view or" the heating unit. v

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the various figures of the drawings. g

At 10 lhavegenerally indicated a supporting member comprising 'side walls 11 and 12.endwa.lll3 and flange 1%. In the particular embodiment of the invention disclosed l have constructed the member 10 of metal capable otconducting electricity but it will be understood that I do not wish to limit-myself to this construction. The for ward endot member 10 is provided with a depending pointed lu'a' 17 disposed cen side elevation oi the but trallv of end" wall 13,. while the rear end of member 10 is supported by the leveling screws 18 and-19, disposed on the bottom edges ofside walls; 11 and 19., respectively. Hinged to flange 14k by pin 20 is the metal platform 21.- i

. Supporting member 10 is provided with a 29 serves to limitshatt revoluble movement. It will be seen that by manually revolving nut 27, the platform 21 and all members secured thereto may be tilted radially with respect to the pin 0 and thus give the operator power to regulate the degree of incline between the platform 21 and the horizontal.

On the side wall 11 is provided a scale 11 preferably divided into degrees of'a circle. A pointer 21 is suspended from platform 21 and in conjunction with the scale 1.1 will serve to indicate the degree of incline of plat form 21 and members carried thereby.

A base member 30, preferably having its upper and substantially plane face 31 ground to a relatively smooth, flat finish, is provided with a Y flange 32 and a centrally disposed depending leg Leg 33 is bored and internally threaded as at 34 to accommodate screw 35 which serves to hold base member 30 rigid- 1y with respect to platform 21 and to main tain the surface 31 in parallel relation with the platform 21.

A heating unit indicated generally at 36 is positioned within the recess 30 formed on the under side of member 30 by flange 32. Spring collar 37, which frictionally grips the leg 33, serves to hold the heating unit 36 in position shown in Fig. 7.

The heating unit 36 consists of metallic plate 38, a thermostat generally indicated at 39 and heating element 10, there being a sheet of asbestos 42 and a sheet of insulating material 4L1 interposed between the plate 38 and the heating element 40. While the heating element may be of any suitable type, I have shown a coil of high resistance wire for the purpose. Between the heating element 40 and the base member 30 is interposed a sheet of insulation 4E3 which may be pierced as at 4:4 to allow the free passage of heat from said element to said base. One 'end 45 of'the heating element 10 passes through the insulation 41, asbestos l2 and plate 38 as at 4:6, and is attached to the bindin 0st 47 which is grounded to the plate 38. The other extremity e18 of heating element 40 passes through insu ation 4:1, asbestos 42 and plate 38 and is insulated from plate 38 at 49. Extremity 48 is attached to terminal 50 which is secured to but insulated from plate 38 at 51.

r ttached to terminal 50 thermostat 39. lVhile any adaptable form of thermostat may be used, I have shown for the purpose a thermal spring made up of twometal .strips 52 and53 having 'diiferent heat coeflicients. Spring 52 carries the contact point 54E which normally contacts with point 55 carried by terminal 56. Terminal 56 is secured to plate 38 by rivet 57 and is insulated therefrom at 58. One extremity of wire 59 is secured to terminal 56 while the other extremity is led down through an depending, peripheral aperture 60 provided in platform 21 and then attached to binding post 61 on a cur rentindicator 62. indicator 62 is secured to platform 21 which is cut away and glassed over as at 63 (Fig. 1) so as to allow the operator to watch the action of said indicator. Indicator 62 maybe of any suitable type and need only show whether or not electric current is passing therethrough. The type shown in the drawings represents that consisting of a varied colored cylinder, the particular color exposed to the operators view indicating either the passage of electricity or a broken circuit.

From the binding post 63 on the indicator 62, a wire 64: leads to the binding post 65 secured to the wall 13' and insulated therefrom by insulating washers 66. A binding post 67 is also secured to wall 3 and is grounded thereto.

lhe operation of the heating unit 36 is as follows: A wire 68 leading from a source of electric y (not shown) is attached to binding post while a wire 67' is at tached to the binding post 67 and leads back to the source of electricity. Electricity may then flow through the following path, wire 6%, current indicator 62, wire 59, terminal 56, wire end as, heating element 40, wire end 4:5, terminal a7, metallic plate 38 collar 3?, leg and thence through the platform 21 and supporting member 10, binding post 6?. wire 67 back to the source of electricity. The electric current, in passing through element 4:0 will generate heat which. serves to heat the entire base member 30 and particularly the surface 31. The bulk of the heat from element 4L0 will be deflected upwardly by means of the asbestos sheet {i The thermostat 39 is so constructed that when the base member 30 and the cap member69, to be described, reach a predetermined degree of heat, the heat caused thereb within the recess 30 will be suffi cient to war) the thermal s )rin consistin of strips 52 and so as to separate contact points 5 and 55 and interrupt the flow of electricity through element 40. li' 'hen the heat drops below the predetermined degree the circuit will be closed again by the natural spring tendency of the thermal spring 39. A set screw 79 Slwhich is threaded through bracket 1 serves to regulate the thermal spring 39 by varying the tension thereof. Bracket 71 is secured to and it insulated from plate 38.v

erator to proceed with his test. has been shown by actual test that a predetermined degree of heat as high as 300 degrees, Fahrenheit, may be reached in apnoximately two minutes on six volts and four amperes when the heating element slO is of the approximate size shown in Figure 10 it will be seen that it is possible for a motorist to use the testing device-by plugging into an automobiles storage battery circuit through a lamp socket. lncase an ammeter is provided on the instrument board of the automobile, the current indicator 62 may be dispensed with since the'ammeter will then serve to indicate the flow and interruption of flow of electricity through element 40.

I provide a cap member in the form of a plate 69 made of metal and ground flat and smooth on the surface '72 to correspond with the surface 31 of base member 30. b ecured to plate is a handle 7 constructed of a nonmetallic material.

Pi'voted to the under side of platform 21 by means of shaft 74 supported by bracke ets (Fig. 6) are the depending ill of the cap positioning; clip 77. Clip 77 is preferably forked to form upwardly extending arms 78 which are adapted to normally bear against the base member 30 as at 79. The upper extremities of arm 78 project upwardly above surface 31 of member 30 to normally hold cap 69 in the position shown in Figure 3. .Clip 77 is normally held in the position shown in Figure by means of the extension (Fig; 7) the endof which is adapted to engage the notch 81 provided in spring 82. Spring 82 is secured to platform 21 at 83and is providedv with a secondv notch 83'. Clip?! is provided with a handle 84. 1 I

The principle and operation of the device is as follows: The value of oil as a lubricant isdependent upon its ability to adhere to surfaces and the cohesion among its own particles. The greater the adhesion to'surfaces and the less the cohesion among its own particles the more ideal is the oil for lubricating; purposes. lVhen' heated, the

body of oil is more or less broken up accord inc te the grade of the oil and asthe temnerature rises this breaking up of the bot y lowers the oils power of adhesion to sur faces and consequently lowers the value of the oil as a lubricant. Given two oils one a relatively good lubricant and theothcr a relatively poor lubricant, the first will have such body that a given applied heat will. not break up the body enough to destroy its adhesive qualities. The same heat applied.

to the second oil will so break up its bodv that its power of adhesion to surfaces lost andv its value as lubricant is none.

Tn my testing device I may reproduceapproximately the conditions under which an Since it is. preferabtv oil is actually expertedtowork and hence am able to observe the performance of'thc oil under these conditions. For instance, assuming that I am desirous of testing for relative qualities two lubricating oils to be used in the cylinders of a engine. It would. then be preferable to constructthe base member 30 and cap member'69 of cast iron. The surfaces 31 and 72 would be ground to approximately the same smoothness as that of the cylinder bore.

Leveling screws 18 and 19 are first adjusted to bring the platform 21, and hence surface 31, level, and the position of pointer 21 with respect to the scale 11 is noted.

Then a few drops of the first oil. are placed on surface 31 and the cap 69 set in the position shown in Figure 3 and pressed downwardly until the oil is spread in a thin film between the surfaces 31. and 72; The'heating element 10 is then introduced into an electric'circuit by properlyconnecting bind ing posts 67 and 68 to a source of electricity. as above described. The temperature of member 30 and cap 69 will. then be raised by the heat generated by elemental); andthc confronting surfaces 31 and 72 willthus be heated. (lap 69 is heated by absorbing heat from member 30 as soon as indicator 62 shows that the electric circuit has i been broken by thermostat 39 and that therefore the arede termined degree of heat has been reached. handle 8% is depressed throwing; clip 77 into the position of Figure 4c. The end of extension 80 (Fig. 7) will then be engaged. by spring 82at notch 83 and will be held thereby in the position of-Figure 4.

Nut 27 is then revolved toslowly incline or tilt platform 21 and hence surface 31 thus causingv surface 31 to function as an in-i clined plane. wardly, as shown in Figure 4, the operator willnote the degree of incline as registered by pointer .21 on scale 11 The surfaces 31 oughly cleansed and the operation repeated with the substitutionof the second oil for the first. The oil whichallows cap 69 to slide downwardly with the least amount of incline to surface 31 is the better oil as it shows that the appliedheat has least affected its adhesive qualities since a lesser amount of gravity is called upon to cause cap 69to slide. A considerable or entire loss of adhesive qualities would allow the weight of cap 69 to squeeze the film of oil out from between surfaces 31 and 72 and thus proportionately destroy the lubrirating; function of the oil, whereupon the friction between. surfaces 31 and 72 wouldprevent termined the best oil for a given purpose,

it is then possible to make a-tester for that particular purposeinwhich the/degree of and 72 will then be thorll hen cap 69' slides downthe hinging of platform incline of surface 31 is fined. In this case 21, the worm mechanism for tilting platform 21. pointer 21, scale 11, and level indicator 16 may be eliminated. For instance, having determined that with a certain degree of incline a proper oil for a certain purpose will allow cap 69 to slide downwardly, while a poor oil for the purpose will not allow this sliding movement, a tester may be constructed to hold base member 30 and hence surface 31 at this particular degree of incline In this case a level indicator 16 is preferably secured to side 11 to allow for the horizontal leveling of the supporting frame 10.

Having, now, an oil to be tested for the certain purpose, a sample of the oil is placed between the surfaces 31 and 72 as before, the clip 77 holding the cap 69from sliding downwardly. The element a0 is then caused to heat the base member 30 and cap 69. When indicator 62 shows the proper heat has been reached the handle 84: will be depressed, freeing arms 78 from contact with base member 30. If cap 69 slides down it is proof that the sample is suitable for the purpose intended, while if the cap 69 fails to slide down it is proof that theoils body will not stand up under heat and that it is therefore unsuited for the purpose intended.

While I have shown and described particular embodiments of my invention, 1 do not wish tobe limited thereto except for such limitations as the claims may import.

What I claim is 1. A' device for testing oils comprising a base member having an inclined and sub stantially plane upper surface, a cap member adapted to slide by gravity on said inclined surface, an electric heating element adapted to heat said base member and said cap member, and thermostatic means controlled by the temperature of said base member and said cap member and adapted to control said heating element.

2. A device for testing oils comprising a base member having an inclined and substantially plane upper surface thereon, a cap member adapted to slide by gravity on said inclined surface, an electric heating element adapted to heat said upper surface, thermostatic means adapted to control said heating element, and indicating means con-v trolled by the flow of electricity through said heating element and adapted to indicate when said heating element has heated said upper surface to a predetermined degree of heat.

8. A device for testing oils, comprising a base member having an inclined surface provided thereon, a cap member having a surface adapted to confront said inclined surface, said cap member being adapted to slide down said inclined surface, means adapted to heat said confronting surfaces, means adapted to initially hold said cap member from sliding down said inclined surface, and means adapted to retract said holding means to allow said cap member to slide down said inclined surface.

4. A device for testing oils, comprising a base member having an inclined surface provided thereon, a cap member having a surface adapted to confront said inclined surface, said cap member being adapted to slide down said inclined surface, means adapted to heat said confronting surfaces, means adapted to indicate when said confronting surfaces have reached a predetermined temperature, means adapted to initially hold said cap member from sliding down said inclined surface, and means adapted to retract said holding means to allow said cap member to slide down said inclined surface.

5. A device for testing oils, comprising a base member having an inclined surface provided thereon, a cap member having a surface adapted to confront said inclined surface, said cap member being adapted to slide down said inclined surface, means adapted to heat said confronting surfaces, means adapted to automatically control said heating means and thereby control the temperature of said confronting surfaces, and means adapted to position said cap member on said base member until said confronting surfaces have reached a predetermined temperature. I

6. A device for testing oils, comprising a base member having an inclined suriace provided thereon, a cap member having a surface adapted to confront said inclined surface, said cap member being adaptedto slide on said inclined surface, means adapted to heat said confronting surfaces, means adapted to position said cap member on said inclined surface until said surfaces have reached a predetermined temperature, and means adapted to indicate when said confronting surfaces have reached said pre determined temperature. I

7. The method of testing oils comprising the application of a film of oil between the confronting surfaces of an inclined plane and a slidable cap'positioned thereon, heating of said inclined plane and said cap, and holding said cap from sliding down said inclined plane until the said confronting surfaces have reached a predetermined temperature.

8. The method of testing oils comprising the application of a film of oil between the confronting surfaces of an inclined plane and a slidable cap positioned thereon, heat ing of said confronting surfaces and holding said cap from sliding down said plane until said confronting surfaces have reached a predetermined temperature, and the release of said holding means when said premember, the initial clining said base to determine the amount of incline necessary to cause said cap to slide downsaid inclined plane.

In testimony whereof I hereby afiix signature.

AUSTIN D. EBERLY. 

